1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an in-vehicle monitor support structure which supports an in-vehicle monitor which is mainly viewed by a viewer seated in a rear seat.
2. Background Art
Conventional technology relating to an in-vehicle monitor support structure which supports an in-vehicle monitor which is mainly viewed by a viewer seated in the rear seats includes, for example, the structure disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-58502. The in-vehicle monitor support structure disclosed in this publication supports a vehicle monitor on the rear of a console box arranged between the seats positioned on the left and right of the vehicle with space provided therebetween.
Recently, family passenger vehicles are used not only as a means of transport and conveyance, but are also used as, for example, a space for having meals and resting, and are often used as a base for leisure activities, and consequently, usability as a living space is a sought after feature in such vehicles.
One example which realizes this ease of use as a living space is an example in which the front seats are positioned on the left and right of the vehicle with space provided therebetween, and a console box is not positioned between these front seats, and by using this space between the front seats as a passage through which people can move from the rear seats to the front seats, so called walk-through access becomes possible.
However, when an in-vehicle monitor which is viewed mainly from the rear seats is installed in order to further improve the comfort level inside the vehicle, if as in the aforementioned publication, a construction is used in which the in-vehicle monitor is supported on the rear of the console box between the front seats, then of course the problem arises that the console box and the in-vehicle monitor are an obstacle to movement, and the type of walk through access described above becomes difficult.
In addition, sometimes the monitor is mounted on the headrest of the front seat, and although in this case walk through access is possible, in order for a plurality of people in the back seat to be able to view a monitor, a monitor must be provided in both the left and right headrests, which increases the cost.
A first object of the present invention is to provide an in-vehicle monitor support structure which enables increases in cost to be minimized, allows ready movement between the front and rear seats, that is, so called walk through access, and enables the monitor to be viewed comfortably even when the monitor is installed so as to be viewed mainly by viewers seated in the back seat.
Furthermore, as described above, when an in-vehicle monitor is positioned between the seats positioned on the left and right of the vehicle, with space provided therebetween, then if the vehicle is involved in a collision while moving, and the passenger in the center of the rear seat is not wearing a seatbelt, it is possible that this passenger may move forward on impact, and collide with the monitor or the support structure provided between the seats.
There are also roof mounted monitors in which the monitor is suspended from the interior roof of the vehicle, but while there is no chance of colliding with the monitor or the support section, a different problem arises in that because the monitor is mounted in a high position, the viewer must look diagonally upwards to view the monitor, which tires the viewer. In addition, ensuring that the support is sufficiently strong results in an increase in cost.
In addition, sometimes a monitor is embedded in the headrest of the front seat, but in this case also, although the passenger in the center of the back seat will not collide with the monitor or its support, for a plurality of people in the back seat to be able to view a monitor, monitors must be embedded in both the left and right headrests, which increases the cost.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an in-vehicle monitor support structure which allows comfortable viewing and enables increases in cost to be minimized, and can also absorb the energy of an impact should a passenger collide with the monitor or the support section.
In an in-vehicle monitor support structure according to a first aspect of the present invention, a rotation section which rotates about a vertical axis is provided on one of the seats positioned on the left and right of the vehicle with space provided therebetween, on the side of the seat which faces the other seat, and the monitor is supported on the rotation section so that one side of the monitor is adjacent to the axis, and the other side of the monitor is positioned laterally from the axis.
Consequently, by rotating the rotation section, which is provided on one of the seats, on the side which faces the other seat, so as to rotate about a vertical axis, and positioning the monitor, which is supported on the rotation section so that one side of the monitor is adjacent to the axis and the other side of the monitor is positioned laterally from the axis, in an orientation where the side which is positioned from the axis is situated near the other seat, the monitor can be positioned so as to extend across the space between the seats, in a state which allows comfortable viewing from the rear seat. Consequently, because the monitor is positioned between the seats, a viewer does not need to look diagonally upward to view the monitor, and can view the monitor by looking substantially straight ahead. Furthermore, because the monitor is positioned between the seats, a plurality of people in the back seat can comfortably view a single monitor. On the other hand, by rotating the rotation section in the other direction, and positioning the monitor in an orientation where the side which is positioned laterally from the axis is positioned toward the rear seat, for example, the monitor can be moved away from the one seat and stowed against the other seat, and a passage through which people can pass is formed between the seats.
In the aforementioned construction, a terminal section which includes an external output terminal for outputting the audio of the monitor may be provided on a cover of the support section which supports the rotation section.
In this manner, because a terminal section which includes an external output terminal for outputting the sound of the monitor is provided on the cover of the support section which supports the rotation section, headphones can be connected easily from the rear seat.
On the other hand, an in-vehicle monitor support structure according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises a base section which is mounted on the vehicle, and a support section which is connected to the base section via a support shaft in a manner which enables rotation, and which supports the monitor. A guide groove is formed in one of either the base section or the support section, and in the other is provided a guide section which moves inside the guide groove when the support section rotates relative to the base section. In addition, a control plate which covers the guide groove is provided on the guide groove, and the movement of the guide section within the guide groove is controlled by the control plate. Consequently, the rotation of the support section relative to the base section is controlled, but if a load greater than a predetermined value is applied to the base section and the support section, the control plate is either deformed or broken by the guide section, allowing the support section to rotate relative to the base section.
In the aforementioned construction, normally, the rotation of the support section relative to the base section is controlled by controlling the movement of the guide section in the guide groove by means of the control plate. On the other hand, if a passenger should collide with the monitor or the support section, then because a load greater than a predetermined value is applied to the base section and the support section, the control plate is deformed or broken by the guide section, allowing the support section to rotate relative to the base section, and thereby absorbing the collision energy. Consequently, by providing the monitor between the seats, for example, the monitor can be viewed from the rear seat comfortably and increases in cost can be minimized, and furthermore the collision energy of any collision with the monitor or the support can be absorbed.
The base section may be provided on one of the seats positioned on the left and right of the vehicle with space provided therebetween, on the side of the seat which faces the other seat, and the axis of the support shaft may be directed from the seat on which the base section is provided in the direction of the other seat.
In such a case, the support shaft is provided on the base section, which is mounted on one of the seats positioned on the left and right of the vehicle with space provided therebetween, on the side of the seat which faces the other seat, and the support shaft is positioned with the axis directed from the seat on which the base section is provided, in the direction of the other seat, and because the monitor is supported on this support shaft via the support section, the monitor can be provided between the seats.
Furthermore, even if a passenger collides with the monitor or the support section, because a load greater than a predetermined value is applied to the base section and the support section, the control plate is deformed or broken by the guide section, allowing the support section to rotate around the support shaft relative to the base section, and absorb the collision energy. Consequently, a monitor can be provided between the seats, the monitor can be viewed from the rear seat comfortably and increases in cost can be minimized, and furthermore the collision energy of any collision with the monitor or the support can be absorbed.
A construction in which the monitor is supported by a monitor mounting section on a plate shaped mounting section in the support section, with notches formed in the sides of the monitor mounting section of the mounting base is also possible.
In such a case, because notches are formed in the sides of the monitor mounting section of the mounting base, in the case of a collision with the monitor or the support section, the monitor mounting section deforms easily relative to the mounting base, and as a result, collision energy can be further absorbed.